NME, 14th October, 1978

© 1978 NME

PiL:
Public Image

(Virgin)

Public Image have a lovely little sound, a long way from orthodox boring heavy rock with a punchy, light Sound above that great bass and stuff. But oh dear! What crummy Iyrics you've come up with, John Rotten, all whining about how your fans didn't do you right and how you want to be let alone etcetera. Rotten performs autopsy on Dead Pistol, full of lines about making his exit and not being the same as when he began...

The record's only charm is when you hear it while thinking about everything Rotten started and what he's done and then its charm is considerable. It will get in the charts, but only on reputation.

It's a shame, but Rotten will probably end up around I988 like Iggy Pop, being touted around by some businessman on the strength of the outrageous band he used to be with, making offbeat records that impress a certain section of art-groupies and trying to play it straight to young audiences who were too young to be touched when he was good and now just want to see him hurt himself with cigarettes. Never mind, thanks for the memories...